1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of vision correction and, more particularly, to methods and devices for providing customized vision correction, and business methods associated with providing such correction.
2. Description of Related Art
A large portion of the population is ametropic; i.e., their vision is less than optimum due at least in part to refractive abnormalities of the eye. For over 100 years, practitioners ranging from lens fitters to surgeons have engaged in the business of providing vision correction to the ametropic population, as technology permitted, through spectacles; more intimate devices such as contact lenses, intra-ocular lenses (IOLs), inlays and onlays; and via surgical procedures including cataract removal, keratoplasty (corneal replacement), variations of keratotomy such as RK (radial keratotomy), PRK (photorefractive keratotomy) and other refractive surgical procedures the most popular of which currently is LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis). In general terms, LASIK involves sculpting the cornea of the eye with an excimer laser to give it a shape that results in better vision for the patient.
While spectacles, contact lenses, and the like generally help people see better, it is widely known that conventional vision correction devices and procedures still do not and cannot correct all refractive error. This is due in part because traditional vision correction only addresses a few of the many aberrations that cause less than perfect vision, and further in part because treatments such as LASIK tend to introduce certain aberrations at the same time that they greatly reduce some of the more gross refractive errors. Thus, after successful LASIK treatment, a person may no longer find it necessary to wake up in the morning with eyeglasses in hand to find their slippers, however, they may experience other visual annoyances associated, for example, with nighttime vision.
Relatively recent advances in ophthalmologic technology are being developed and refined to address the aforementioned issues. Sophisticated instruments such as the Orbscan(trademark) m ocular topography system by Orbtek, Inc. and wavefront sensing devices for measuring and correcting higher-order aberrations such as that disclosed in Williams et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,719, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, provide tools to evaluate residual refractive errors and, when used in conjunction with advanced laser systems like the 217C laser system manufactured by Technolas GmbH, and other eye care technology, have the potential to provide supernormal vision.
Concomitant efforts are directed to incorporate these technological advances into business architectures that can deliver enhanced value to practitioners, vendors, consumers, and patients be it in the form of economic, social, or personal enhancement.
A solution that addresses the issues and concerns identified above is set forth by the present invention. The term xe2x80x9cvision correctionxe2x80x9d as used in the description of the invention refers both to a measured improvement in vision over that provided by conventional refractive correction and to the subjective evaluation of xe2x80x9cseeing betterxe2x80x9d by the patient. The term xe2x80x9cpractitionerxe2x80x9d as used herein refers appropriately to anyone qualified to fit, prescribe, or dispense vision correction devices such as spectacles and the like, or medically attend to a patient particularly with respect to the patient""s eyes.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a method for providing vision correction to a patient involves engaging the patient in a practitioner""s facility; obtaining an ocular wavefront aberration measurement from the patient in the practitioner""s facility; transmitting the wavefront aberration measurement and other associated data including patient and practitioner information in suitable form to a custom lens supply platform and other platforms as appropriate; manufacturing a custom lens at the supply platform; and providing the patient or the practitioner with the custom lens. In the instant embodiment, the custom lens may be a contact lens, an inlay, an onlay, or an IOL. In this and the embodiments to follow, the custom lens supply platform provides for manufacturing the appropriate custom lens preferably, but not necessarily, at a location remote from the practitioner""s facility by known manufacturing methods. These methods include, but are not limited to, laser ablation, lathing, cast-molding, or otherwise machining a lens surface. Moreover, in this and the embodiments to follow, the wavefront aberration measurement is preferably obtained with a wavefront sensor but may alternatively or complementarily be obtained by phase diversity techniques, ocular topography, pachymetry and other suitable means known to those skilled in the art for obtaining wavefront aberration information. The measured wavefront aberrations preferably refer to third and higher-order aberrations and, more preferably, to fifth to tenth order aberrations, but are not limited as such. In an aspect of this embodiment, the steps of obtaining an ocular wavefront aberration measurement from the patient in the practitioner""s facility; transmitting the wavefront aberration measurement and associated data to a custom lens supply platform; and manufacturing a custom lens at the supply platform are segregated into respective businesses, any or all of which may carry contractual rights for practice and, further, any or all of which may be the source of a royalty or other income. The contractual rights may be exclusive or non-exclusive and may be granted to any number of parties. In another aspect of this embodiment, practice of the invention will provide the patient with vision correction and resulting visual performance from the custom lens that is better than that which would be provided to the patient from a conventional refraction.
A related embodiment of the invention for providing vision correction involves engaging a patient in a practitioner""s facility where the patient is fitted with a trial contact lens having a non-customized anterior surface shape; identifying, by a mark or non-contact means, the geometric center of a surface of the trial lens; obtaining a wavefront aberration measurement from the patient""s eye along an eye axis passing through the geometric center of the lens; transmitting the aberration measurement in an appropriate form to a custom contact lens supply platform; and manufacturing a custom contact lens for the patient.
In another embodiment according to the invention for providing vision correction, a patient is engaged in a practitioner""s facility; the patient is fitted with a trial lens having a non-customized anterior surface shape; a wavefront aberration measurement is obtained from the patient""s eye with the trial lens in place; the aberration measurement information is transmitted in suitable form to a device adapted for custom-shaping the anterior lens surface; and the anterior lens surface is custom shaped in-situ by the device. In this embodiment, the lens may be a contact lens, an onlay, or an inlay. The in-situ custom shaping would preferably be by laser ablation. In an aspect of this embodiment, the aberration measurement information is also transmitted in suitable form to a custom lens supply platform where a custom lens is made for the patient. In another aspect of this embodiment, fitting the patient with the trial lens further involves identifying, by a mark or non-contact means, the geometric center of a surface of the trial lens and obtaining the wavefront aberration measurement along an eye axis passing through the geometric center of the lens. In some individual cases, it may be preferable to dilate the patient""s pupil to cover an appropriate portion of the optical zone of the trial lens.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a method for vision correction including engaging the patient in a practitioner""s facility; obtaining a wavefront aberration measurement of the patient""s eye; and providing a display of the wavefront aberration measurement in the form of either a picture, a computer simulation, a graphic display, and/or a mathematical representation of the wavefront. In a preferred aspect of this embodiment, the display is in a form that allows the patient to make a subjective evaluation of the wavefront aberration measurement which will lead to the subjective evaluation of better vision. A related aspect involves transmitting the wavefront measurement to a lens supply platform in a form readable by the lens supply platform for producing a custom lens.
In a related embodiment, obtaining the wavefront aberration measurement of the patient""s eye including presenting a display of the measurement to the patient may be accomplished automatically outside of a practitioner""s facility, in similar fashion, for example, to obtaining blood pressure readings from devices located in supermarkets, workplaces, etc. The desired information could then be transmitted automatically to a practitioner (e.g., for diagnostic purposes) or to a custom lens supply platform for making lenses for the patient if desired.
In another related embodiment, a method for providing vision correction to a patient involves measuring an ocular characteristic of the patient""s eye, either by a practitioner in the practitioner""s facility or remotely without practitioner intervention. The measurement includes topography data and/or wavefront aberration data. This measured data is evaluated and the evaluation produces an option matrix that compares, among other things, prospective vision correction as a function of a prospective eye treatment, cost of treatment options, etc. Based upon the evaluation, the patient can select her treatment option, and billing and lens manufacturing can occur automatically upon selection.
In an aspect suited to all of the embodiments described above, patient data may also be supplied to an appropriate location or platform to accommodate, e.g., record keeping, ordering, billing, and delivery information, building and maintaining patient databases, treatment surveys, for economic and productivity evaluations, etc. Any of the embodiments are also amenable to automated billing via, e.g., credit/debit card services. The interactive aspects of the invention provide for a xe2x80x9csemi-intelligentxe2x80x9d system in that it facilitates database feedback to interested parties. This kind of information allows real-time choice options to be evaluated by the patient, the practitioner, manufacturers and other interested parties.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any data transmission referred to above could be in the form of telecom or datacom, and could be sent via wire-based (optical fiber, cable, etc.) or wireless services. A preferable interface would be Internet based.